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Brad Spence

Member from 2000 – 2001

Brad Spence recently checked in with Alberta Alpine.

Alberta Ski Team Member from 2000 – 2001

1. What club(s) did you ski with?
Team Panorama, National Alpine Training Centre2. Who were some of your coaches?
My AB coaches were Peter Rybarik and Richard Jagger3. Highlight of your career with the provincial team?
Making huge strides in my athletic development, working with an amazing team of coaches and teammates. Accomplishing my goal to qualify for the Canadian Alpine Ski Team4. Highlight of your ski racing career?
Representing Canada at the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games would have to be the highlights of my career, however, 3 races stick out as being the most memorable.1) The first time I stood in the start gate again after coming back from breaking my leg and tearing my knee ligaments (the race was a slalom in Loveland, Colorado in December, 2008, after missing 2+ years to recover/rehab)2) Finishing 13th in my first ever world cup slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia in 20093) Finishing 12th in the Kizbuhel slalom to qualify for the 2010 OWG’s5. Who were some of your teammates?
Paul Stutz, Luke Patterson, Caleb Dyck, Mike O’Flynn, Richard Maclean, Cameron Barnes6. Do you have any tips you’d like to pass on to young racers?
Set goals – Say them out loud, make them lofty but realistic and work your butt off to achieve them.
Success doesn’t come without setback. See obstacles or injury as learning opportunities.
Find a mentor or sport idol and learn everything you can from them. You will learn a lot, and they will be flattered.7. What are you doing now?
I just graduated from Royal Roads University with my Bachelor of Commerce, Entrepreneurial Management, and I am currently working on my not-for-profit start-up Helmets for Heroes.8. Are you still involved with ski racing? How?
At this point no. I needed an 8th surgery on my right leg following the 2014 OWG’s in Sochi, and wasn’t able to ski at all last year. Plus, I spent the last 12 months in Victoria, BC, where I didn’t see the snow fall once.9. Would you tell us a little about how ski racing has contributed to your life and work?
Ski racing has taught me what hard work is, how to be successful, and ultimately, how to work for what I want and what I believe in.
Even though ski racing is an individual sport, we travel as a team. I developed a ton of great skills that are transferable to the work world. These are skills that are very attractive to employers – always keep that in mind.